Last summer, during the pandemic I ventured out to Utah and camped at Zion NP in the South Campground. This is one of the largest and busiest park campgrounds that I've stayed at. Even with this, it felt wild and comfortable. Like all NP's there are bathhouse facilities, but no shower areas. See below for informative on this.
My site was directly on the Pa'rus Bike Trail, which was perfect for my riding through the park. The trail runs along the river and eventually up into the scenic drive into the actual park.
The views are spectacular during the day, and even better at night. I had a fantastic view over the bluffs of the stars and was able to get some great Milky Way shots. There are tons of night hikers that you can watch going along the Watchman Trail on the eastern side of the river...little dots of light dancing along the bluffs and ridges.
It is a 7 mile cycle ride up the drive to the entrance to the Riverside Trailhead and The Narrows. The bike ride has a long steady climb of 500 feet. This sounds daunting, but I made the ride on 3 occasions in 2 days. Early morning is best when it's hot out. You have to follow the posted cycle rules when riding up. Coming down can be exciting as you don't have to pedal for almost the full 7 miles. Stop along the way to see some of the Vistas you will not see if you are on the shuttle.
There is no recreational driving on the drive once you are past the Zion Lodge. You do have to watch for the busses and shuttles. And take plenty water and snacks if you plan on exploring the trails.
The campground is also located very near the town of Springdale. This is the location for Zion Outfitters, which is also where you can do the pay showers and laundry. The showers are located in the basement of the store and are controlled by tokens that can be purchased from the store, or at a kiosk at the entrance to the shower area.
There are several grocery stores as well as gift shops located in town. Bicycles are the main mode of transport for many people camping around the area. Eating out is quite easy as there are dozens of very delicious restaurants. My personal favorite is Sol Foods, a local grocery and deli. Their sandwiches are fantastic and the beer and wine selection is quite large and unique. I purchased several small meals from them to take on rides around town. There is always somewhere to stop and enjoy the view.
Check out the NPS.gov site for information on the shuttles into the park as well as the campground information. The area is very heavily traveled and there are tons of visitors, both camping and staying in the nearby hotels and lodges. Be prepared for slow travel by car through the town itself.
For drawbacks, I would suggest making sure your are prepared for the weather. I was there in mid September and the daytime temps were 95°-102°, with nights not going below 85°. There are few bugs in the majority of the park, however my site was in very close proximity to the Virgin River and did have the occasional small swarm of tiny flies.
Zion is one of the most beautiful parks I've been to. I would definitely recommend camping in the area, with the South Campground as my pick for where to stay. Reservations are required and you will need to book well in advance to make sure of a site as well as shuttle passes.
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